August 21, 2012
MENAFM.com - With less than three months until the election, the small business community continues to shift their vote to Gov. Mitt Romney, according to a new survey by Manta, the largest online community dedicated entirely to small business. The majority (61 percent) of small business owners say they plan to vote for Romney and only 26 percent say they plan to vote for President Barack Obama -- down 6 percent since May.
Additionally, the selection of U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan as Republican vice presidential candidate didn't impact the small business owner vote as the majority (58 percent) says they still plan to vote for Romney and 25 percent say Obama still gets their vote. However, Obama may still have a fighting chance with small business owners given that 40 percent say their vote will likely be influenced by how the needs of small businesses are addressed by the candidates during the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions.
At the same time, small business owners may not be easily swayed, as nearly half (48 percent) say convention-related information will not impact their votes. Only 25 percent of small business owners say that the initiatives discussed during the election will influence their voting decision and just under 20 percent say that the speeches from the presidential candidates at the conventions could sway their vote. Moreover, 38 percent say they are most likely to base their vote on which party best represents itself as most supportive of small business initiatives and growth.
Only 19 percent of small business owners feel Obama and the Democratic Party best support small business, a 7 percent decrease since the last poll in May. Currently, more than half of the respondents (54 percent) say the Republican Party is the biggest supporter of small business.
"While it is critical that the presidential candidates address vital small business issues like tax policy and healthcare at the conventions this year, it's also important that they share concrete examples with the small business community about how proposed initiatives will help them grow their business the rest of year and in the future," said Pamela Springer, CEO of Manta. "With a shaky economy, small businesses are trying to catch up and rely on non-governmental resources to stay in business."
The survey findings are part of a series of Manta Political Tracking Polls that offer an ongoing assessment of small business owners' opinions on candidates and hot topics related to the upcoming presidential election. Manta's latest survey polled more than 1,900 small business owners.
Manta supports small business owners by providing simple and cost-efficient tools, specifically tailored to them, to help improve their online presence, connect with customers and prospects and, ultimately, drive business growth.
"I think the business world in general, and thus my customers in particular, would be doing better economically if we all had more certainty about what will happen after the election in November. While I'm going to vote for Romney, neither presidential candidate seems to be a big supporter of small business as neither of their campaigns has been fully focused on key small business issues," said Matthew Kent of Minnesota-based Mateo's Soccer Store, a family-owned shop that sells soccer gear. "Luckily, Manta has been a key resource in helping me market and grow my business with tools to attract new leads and connect with reliable suppliers, which are important ways to help small, local businesses like mine -- even with an uncertain future ahead."
For more on the poll, please contact manta (at) bordersgratehouse (dot) com. To access the release and infographics based on the survey results, go to http://www.manta.com/media/political_survey_4_082112.
For more on previous Manta Political Tracking Polls, go to:
--http://www.manta.com/media/political_survey_052212 - May 22 --http://www.manta.com/media/wellness_survey - April 24 --http://www.manta.com/media/political_survey_012412 - January 24
About the Survey Manta polled 1,942 small business owners across the nation, who are members of Manta.com and have claimed their Manta business profile, via an online Silverpop survey between July 31 and August 8, 2012. This survey tracked small business sentiment toward the presidential candidates and how they feel about government policies affecting their business, specifically before the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions. The margin of error is +/- 2.98 percentage points.
Manta also polled 550 small business owners across the nation from the same group of 1,942 small business owners polled between July 31 and August 8, who are members of Manta.com and have claimed their Manta business profile, via an online Silverpop survey between August 13-14, 2012. This survey tracked small business sentiment about the selection of U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan as Republican vice presidential candidate. The margin of error is +/- 2.98 percentage points.
About Manta Manta helps small businesses profit, connect and grow through the largest online community dedicated entirely to small business. Millions of people come to Manta each day to buy from, partner with and connect to companies. By joining Manta, small businesses easily harness the power of the Internet. Get visible; grow your business for free at www.manta.com.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2070798
SOURCE: Manta
Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment